Powertrain including a rotary IC engine and a continuously variable planetary gear unit

Abstract

A powertrain for driving a motor vehicle includes an internal combustion engine including first and second rotors supported for rotation about an axis, a first epicyclic gear unit including a first component fixed against rotation, a first driving component, and a first driven component, a first power path alternately producing a first drive connection between the driven component and the first rotor, and opening said first drive connection, and a second power path producing a second drive connection between the driven component and the second rotor, and opening said second drive connection.

1. In a powertrain that includes an internal combustion engine including multiple rotors supported for rotation about an axis, a first gear unit driveably connected to the engine rotors through a first one-way power path that connects the first gear unit and the first rotor and a second one-way power path that connects the first gear unit and the second rotor, an air motor pneumatically communicating with and driven by the a source of compressed air, and an epicyclic second gear unit driveably connected to the output of the first gear unit, the air motor and the powertrain output, a method for operating the powertrain comprising the steps of;
 (a) using the first epicyclic gear unit, first power path and second power path to synchronize the engine rotors; 
 (b) using the air motor and source of compressed air to start the engine; and 
 (c) using the air motor to control a speed ratio produced by the epicyclic second gear unit. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 operating the engine as an internal combustion engine; 
 using the first epicyclic gear unit, first power path and second power path to overdrive the engine output relative to the speed of the engine; and 
 using the air motor to control the magnitude of a ratio of the speed of the output of the epicyclic second gear unit and a speed of the output of the first epicyclic gear unit. 
 
   
   
     3. A powertrain for driving a motor vehicle comprising:
 an internal combustion engine including multiple rotors supported for rotation about an axis; 
 a first epicyclic gear unit including a first component fixed against rotation, a first driving component, and a first driven component; 
 a first power path alternately producing a first one-way drive connection between the driven component and the first rotor; and 
 a second power path producing a second one-way drive connection between the driven component and the second rotor; 
 a source of compressed air; 
 an air motor pneumatically communicating with and driven by the source of compressed air; and 
 a second epicyclic gear unit including a carrier driveably connected to the first driven component, a second driven component driveably connected to the powertrain output, and a sun gear driveably connected to the air motor. 
 
   
   
     4. The powertrain of  claim 3  wherein:
 a first power path alternately connects the driven component and one of the first rotor and the second rotor when a speed of said one of the first rotor and the second rotor is equal to or greater than a speed of the first driving component, and disconnects the driven component from said one of the first rotor and the second rotor; and 
 a second power path connects the driven component and the other of said one of the first rotor and the second rotor and when a speed of the other of said one of the first rotor and the second rotor is equal to or greater than a speed of the first driving component, and disconnects the driven component from said other of said one of the first rotor and the second rotor. 
 
   
   
     5. The powertrain of  claim 3  wherein:
 the first component is a ring gear; 
 the first driving component is a sun gear surrounded by the ring gear; 
 the first driven component is a carrier; and 
 the powertrain further comprises planet pinions supported for rotation on the carrier and engaged with the sun gear and the ring gear. 
 
   
   
     6. The powertrain of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a first casing containing the engine, the first epicyclic gear unit, the first power path, the second power path, and the second epicyclic gear unit. 
 
   
   
     7. The powertrain of  claim 3  further comprising:
 powertrain output; 
 a source of compressed air; 
 an air motor pneumatically communicating with the source of compressed air; and 
 the second epicyclic gear unit includes a second driving component driveably connected to the first driven component, a second driven component driveably connected to the powertrain output, and a control component driveably connected to the air motor. 
 
   
   
     8. The powertrain of  claim 7  wherein:
 the second driven component is a second ring gear; 
 the second driving component is a second carrier; 
 the control component is a second sun gear; and 
 the second epicyclic gear unit further comprising second planet pinions supported for rotation on the second carrier and engaged with the second sun gear and the second ring gear. 
 
   
   
     9. A powertrain for driving a motor vehicle comprising:
 an internal combustion engine including first and second rotors supported for rotation about an axis; 
 a first epicyclic gear unit including a first component fixed against rotation, a first driving component, and a first driven component; 
 a first power path alternately producing a first drive connection between the driven component and the first rotor, and opening said first drive connection; 
 a second power path producing a second drive connection between the driven component and the second rotor, and opening said second drive connection; 
 powertrain output; 
 a source of compressed air; 
 an air motor pneumatically communicating with the source of compressed air; and 
 an epicyclic transmission gear unit including a second driving component driveably connected to the first driven component, a second driven component driveably connected to the powertrain output, and a control component driveably connected to the air motor. 
 
   
   
     10. The powertrain of  claim 9  wherein:
 the first rotor includes a first blade secured to the first rotor, and a second blade secured to the first rotor and spaced angularly about the axis mutually diametrically opposite the first blade; and 
 a second rotor includes a third blade secured to the second rotor, and a fourth blade secured to the second rotor and spaced angularly about the axis mutually diametrically opposite the third blade, the third blade being angularly arranged about the axis between the angular position of the first blade and the second blade. 
 
   
   
     11. The powertrain of  claim 9  wherein:
 a first power path alternately produces a first drive connection between the driven component and one of the first rotor and the second rotor when a speed of said one of the first rotor and the second rotor is equal to or greater than a speed of the first driving component, and opens said first drive connection; and 
 a second power path produces a second drive connection between the driven component and the other of said one of the first rotor and the second rotor and when a speed of the other of said one of the first rotor and the second rotor is equal to or greater than a speed of the first driving component, and opens said second drive connection. 
 
   
   
     12. The powertrain of  claim 9  wherein:
 the first component is a ring gear; 
 the first driving component is a sun gear surrounded by the ring gear; 
 the first driven component is a carrier; and 
 the powertrain further comprises planet pinions supported for rotation on the carrier and engaged with the sun gear and the ring gear. 
 
   
   
     13. The powertrain of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a first casing containing the engine, the epicyclic gear unit, the first power path, the second power path, and a transmission gear unit. 
 
   
   
     14. The powertrain of  claim 9  wherein:
 the second driven component is a second ring gear; 
 the second driving component is a second carrier; 
 the control component is a second sun gear; and 
 the second epicyclic gear unit further comprising second planet pinions supported for rotation on the second carrier and engaged with the second sun gear and the second ring gear. 
 
   
   
     15. The powertrain of  claim 9  further comprising:
 the air motor being driven by air contained in the source of compressed air; and 
 an air compressor driveably connected to the air motor and pneumatically communicating with the source of compressed air, the air compressor being driven by the air motor and supplying compressed air to the source of compressed air. 
 
   
   
     16. The powertrain of  claim 9  further comprising:
 an electric motor; and 
 the air compressor being driveably connected to the electric motor and supplying compressed air to the source of compressed air. 
 
   
   
     17. The powertrain of  claim 9  further comprising:
 an electric motor; 
 the air motor being driven by air contained in the source of compressed air; and 
 an air compressor driveably connected to the air motor and the electric motor, and pneumatically communicating with the source of compressed air.